In today's healthcare system, there are a number of patient care disciplines with a shortage of qualified care providers. For instance, intensivists specializing in the care of the critically ill are in high demand and short supply. Often times, particularly in rural care locations, specialists (e.g., intensivists) are not available on site to care for patients presenting with certain specialized ailments. As a result, remote or centralized care locations wherein one or more specialists may be located and equipped with the ability to monitor patients at one or more patient care locations have emerged in recent years.
Modem monitoring equipment has the ability to alert a bedside care provider when any number of monitored patient data elements falls outside of predefined parameters. However, when a patient is being monitored by a remotely located care provider, such provider may not be aware of the alerts in a timely fashion, if at all.
As such, a system and method for outputting alerts received at a bedside care location to a remote care location would be advantageous. Additionally, a method and system for establishing a direct communication link between a bedside care provider and a remote care provider, for instance, when an alert has been received in association with a patient at the bedside care location, would be advantageous and aid improving the quality of healthcare services delivered.